No Exemptions

The man's eyes widened as they fell on Eli, a spark of recognition lighting up his gaze. "I know you," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Eli quickly leaned in, whispering back, "I know, I know," while glancing over his shoulder to make sure no one else overheard. The man seemed to understand, keeping his voice low as he replied, "You're… from heaven."

Eli nodded subtly, whispering, "Yeah, like I thought… I knew you looked familiar."

Princess Denise noticed their hushed exchange and raised an eyebrow. "Do you two know each other somehow?" she asked, looking between them with a curious expression.

Eli straightened up, giving her a reassuring smile and shaking his head. "No, Princess," he replied, his head tilting in a silent "no" gesture. "I just thought he looked familiar, that's all."

Just then, the princess remembered Mikhaela was waiting in her chamber. "Oh, I forgot, I should go. Mikhaela is waiting for me," she said, excusing herself.

Eli nodded, his expression relaxed. "Of course, Princess. I'll catch up shortly," he said.

Once she was gone, Eli turned back to the man, questions swirling in his mind, pressing for answers that only this familiar stranger could give him.

Eli leaned closer to the man, whispering, "How long have you been here? I thought I was the only one… the first one sent here."

The man's eyes dimmed slightly as he answered, "About three years now."

Eli looked at him in surprise. "Who sent you?"

"Archangel Gabriel," the man replied. "Maybe… maybe they think I failed them," he added, glancing down, wondering why Eli had been sent too.

Eli's expression grew thoughtful. "But how did you get infected?"

The man took a shaky breath, his gaze filled with unease. "I was bitten. They're tough. I faced the Lycan King himself. Even with a soul's strength, it wasn't enough."

Eli's eyes grew wide. 'If he could get infected, then I could too.' This hit him hard, and he realized he needed to be more careful.

Then a darker thought came to him. 'If even a soul couldn't beat the Lycan King, what chance do I have against Asmodeus?' The weight of his mission felt heavy, but he reminded himself of his change. 'But I'm not a soul anymore… I'm an angel now.' A flicker of hope, reminding himself that maybe, just maybe, he had a chance.

The man's eyes searched Eli's face. "Are you… still a soul?"

Eli shook his head. "I used to be."

The man's brows knitted together. "Strange… Archangels don't usually send angels to Earth. Most angels struggle to keep their wings hidden during missions here. Once they spread it… it's like a beacon to demons, making it even harder to hunt them."

"Yeah, I've heard," Eli replied with a sigh. "Honestly, I'm not confident with myself, I'm not sure how long I can keep my wings hidden. I feel this urge to… let them free."

He laughed a little, looking both excited and sad. "I've wanted wings for so long, to know what it's like to fly. But as soon as I got them, I was immediately sent here to Earth, with no chance to use them."

The man looked at Eli with pleading eyes. "Please, can you get me out of this cage?"

Eli nodded, determination in his eyes. "I'll do everything I can to get you out of here."

Before leaving, Eli turned back to the man. "By the way, my name is Eli."

The man gave a faint smile. "I'm Rod."

—————

Princess Denise entered her chamber and immediately saw Mikhaela inside. She rushed over, and they clasped hands, clearly excited to see each other.

"Why were you gone for so long?" Princess Denise asked, her voice filled with concern.

Mikhaela sighed. "I had many things to take care of."

Then, Mikhaela's expression turned serious. "I need your help, Princess. My grandfather, Enoch, is the only family I have left, and he's still locked in the dungeon. Please, can you help me get him out?"

Princess Denise's eyes softened with understanding. She knew that Enoch had been unfairly targeted by the officials because of his visions that threatened their power. She also knew how valuable Enoch was as a seer to the palace and believed in his innocence.

"I'll do everything I can to get him out," Princess Denise promised. "We need his guidance now more than ever."

Mikhaela's face lit up with gratitude, and she hugged the princess tightly. "Thank you so much!"

After a moment, Mikhaela pulled back, curiosity in her eyes. "By the way, who is Eli? Why is he here in the palace? He seems like a guest."

Princess Denise took a deep breath. "The other night, after we saved the people of Arden village from a lycan attack, we were chased by the lycans. One by one, my soldiers fell until I was the only one left. Just when I thought I wouldn't make it, Eli appeared and saved me."

"Oh really?" Mikhaela replied after hearing what the princess said. "Where is he from? I don't think I've seen him before, and his accent is a bit different from the Velorian accent."

Princess Denise nodded. "He said he's from Camelot, a kingdom far away and hard to find."

"Camelot?" Mikhaela echoed, her curiosity piqued. "I've never heard of that place."

Princess Denise nodded again. "Even Master Albert, the kingdom historian, doesn't know about it."

Mikhaela thought for a moment. "Eli seems very mysterious and different."

Princess Denise fell silent, thinking to herself that she also felt Eli's mysterious aura.

Mikhaela spoke up again. "He does seem quite intriguing."

Princess Denise then said, "I asked Eli for a favor to help defend the palace."

Mikhaela's eyes widened. "That's a great idea. We could use all the help we can get."

She then revealed, "I've started having visions too, but they're still blurry and unclear."

Upon hearing this, Princess Denise pleaded, "Please stay in the palace, Mikhaela. Once your grandfather is free, he can guide you."

Feeling grateful to the princess for her help in freeing her grandfather, Mikhaela Agreed. 

————

Later in the afternoon, Princess Denise visited her father, King Philip, in his chamber. She greeted him warmly and then brought up the topic of Enoch, the seer. She tried to convince him to pardon Enoch.

King Philip, knowing Enoch was innocent, explained his dilemma with a heavy heart. "I understand, Denise, but I must show the palace court that our justice system is fair and unbiased. If I intervene directly, it might cause unrest among the officials."

Princess Denise nodded, understanding the situation. "I see, Father. But we need Enoch's guidance now more than ever. There must be another way."

King Philip thought for a moment. "Perhaps we can present a case that Enoch's visions are no longer reliable. If we can show that one of his recent prophecies did not come true, it might convince the court that his visions are not a threat."

Princess Denise's eyes lit up with hope. "That's a great idea, Father. We can gather evidence of a vision that failed to materialize and use it to argue that his prophecies against the officials are baseless."

King Philip nodded. "Exactly. If we can prove that even I no longer believe in his visions, it will alleviate any concerns the officials might have about his influence."

Princess Denise smiled, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. "I'll speak with Mikhaela. Perhaps she knows of a vision that didn't come true."

King Philip smiled back. "Very well. Let's proceed carefully. We must ensure that justice is served, and Enoch is freed without causing any suspicion."

Princess Denise left her father's chamber with a plan forming in her mind. She knew that with Mikhaela's help, they might just find the evidence they needed to free Enoch.

Meanwhile, in the dungeon, Enoch sat restlessly on the cold, damp stone floor, whispering to himself. The dim light from a flickering torch cast eerie shadows on the grimy walls.

"He's here. He's here, and the king must know," he muttered urgently. The air was thick with the smell of mold and decay, and the distant sound of dripping water echoed through the dark corridors. "The king must know, or else the savior will be in danger, and our only hope will be lost."